Play 9 or go to the range?

[nevets88]

Time is my limited resource. I usually compromise. I play 9, but play multiple balls, swing for practice instead of scoring, throw down an extra ball or two near the green and sometimes the bunker and try multiple putts. Not always possible but moreso if course is mostly empty. It's like cramming for a test but really fast.

[glock35ipsc]

I have an annual range pass, so I usually it the range a few nights a week on the way home.  But I use the range time as if I'm playing 9.....  Driver, irons, wedge.  Driver, wedge.  Etc, etc, etc.  I just imagine I'm on the first tee box and it driver.  Then imagine where I'm at for my second shot and play that.  Then hit a wedge, then move on to the second hole.

[tristanhilton85]

It kind of depends on what I'm working on... if it's a swing change or something along those lines then I'm at the range, but learning how to hit certain shots from different lies would probably be better done if you played 9 on an empty course; there are some situations you come across on the course that you just can't really re-create on the range.  This is especially true if your course has a practice area that is just a range and putting green and lacks any kind of practice bunker or short game area.

[glk23]

Hardly ever go to the range at least on my dime.  A course 3 mi. from where I live has a good short game/putting area which I use 1-3 times a week in the spring and summer.  Half the time I am there, people playing the course leave extra range balls all over the pitching/chipping green and I'll pick up sometimes 20-50 to hit at the range.  When I want to pracitce, the is a 9 hole course at a local private university that is only $11 for 9 holes.  The greens are small and not very nice so I don't work on the short game much, but with the right timing I can hit 2-3 or more balls per hole.  It also has a couple of par 5's and par 4's to be able to work on driver and pretty much any club/distance I want to work on.  Ranges in my area charge around $10 for 100+ balls to hit off hard mats.

[darkhunter139]

I have a membership to a course like 10 minutes away from my house so I usually would rather just play a quick nine.  I did both today because the range is right across the street :)

I need to force myself to drop the 7 bucks for a medium bucket sometimes though because I need to work on my swing.  I really wish my driving range offered some kind of discount or season pass because the money is really the only thing stopping me from going more often.